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 "Growing up, I've always been a Reds fan," Schwarber said on Monday.
"Now that I'm here and getting a chance to play against them, it's
exciting."
On Tuesday night, Schwarber stunned his hometown team with a
two-run, game-tying home run in the ninth inning and a go-ahead solo
shot in the 13th, lifting the Cubs to a 5-4 victory.
"It's awesome just to be able to contribute," Schwarber said. "It's
a great feeling all-around."
Schwarber finished the night 4-for-7 with a double, two homers and
four RBIs. Through 11 major league games, he is hitting .410 with
three homers and 10 RBIs.
"It's pretty impressive obviously," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I
know everybody's going to focus on his hitting. But he did a really
good job behind the plate today. Everything he did was first-rate.
Offensively, he's got a different kind of thing with the bat. He's
very talented."
Playing less than 40 miles from his hometown of Middletown, Ohio,
the Cubs catcher launched a 2-2 pitch from right-hander Nate Adcock
(1-2) for his third career homer to put Chicago ahead.
"It wasn't a terrible pitch," said Adcock. "It was down. Not down
enough. That kid is hot."
With the Cubs trailing 4-2 in the ninth, Schwarber worked the count
to 3-2 against Reds right-hander J.J. Hoover, who was subbing for
Aroldis Chapman. The Cincinnati closer was unavailable after
throwing 57 combined pitches the previous two games. Schwarber
crushed a two-run shot an estimated 424 feet over the visitors
bullpen in right field to tie the score.
"We didn't have Chappy. Hoover said he was good to go," said Reds
manager Bryan Price.
Jason Motte (7-1) pitched two scoreless innings for the win. Justin
Grimm threw a perfect bottom of the 13th to earn his second save for
Chicago (50-42).
Cubs left fielder Chris Coghlan tied the score 2-2 in the sixth with
a controversial home run.
In the seventh, Reds third baseman Todd Frazier blooped a 2-2 pitch
from right-hander Pedro Strop into left field, driving in two runs
to give Cincinnati a 4-2 edge.
Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel made his first start since exiting
his July 8 outing after one inning with left hamstring tightness. He
didn't have his best command Tuesday but managed to pitch five
innings and give up two runs, one earned.
Reds starter Raisel Iglesias tied career high with eight strikeouts.
He allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four
over 112 pitches.
"Raisel is finding his way right now," said Price. "He struggled
third time through. He's got the stuff (to be successful)."
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With one out in the sixth, Coghlan hit a long drive to left that
caromed off a fan and initially was ruled a triple.
Reds manager Bryan Price argued that it should be a ground-rule
double due to fan interference.
However, following a three-minute, 42-second video review requested
by crew chief Fieldin Culbreth, it was ruled that the ball actually
cleared the wall before being touched, and Coghlan was awarded his
ninth home run of the season.
Hammel wasn't sharp in his first inning back.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips led off with a single and advanced
to third when first baseman Joey Votto's liner caromed off Dexter
Fowler's glove in center for an error.
Frazier's sacrifice fly scored Phillips to put Cincinnati ahead 1-0.
In the fifth, Schwarber delivered a ground-rule double to center to
drive in the Cubs' first run.
Following Tuesday night's four-hour, 51-minute marathon, he was
prepared to start behind the plate in the first game of Wednesday's
doubleheader.
"I'm ready to get back out there and do it all over again," he said.
NOTES: OF Marlon Byrd played center field for just the second time
this season on Tuesday after making 67 of his 71 appearances in left
for the Reds. ... Cubs INF Javier Baez, on the disabled list at
Triple-A Iowa with a fractured finger, resumed baseball activity and
could begin a rehab assignment in Arizona this week. ... The second
opinion on Cubs C Miguel Montero's sprained left thumb on Monday
confirmed the original diagnosis and he will not resume baseball
activity for at least two weeks.
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